Annual report 2017 of the Agriculture sector

13/11/2017

This year we have approached representatives of the political centre and the left to win their support for our demands regarding the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). We receive a great deal of positive response and would like to thank all member organizations at this point for supporting our efforts with their own national activities. A special word of thanks goes to the approx. 7,000 workers in agriculture who took part in the Internet consultation of the Directorate General Agriculture.

Next year the focus will be on raising awareness of our demands among representatives from other political spheres in order to receive a wider support. This requires an intensive dialogue with the representatives of the political parties concerned at both the European and national levels.

Concrete tools need to be in place for us to realise our demands. This is why we have worked intensively for a revision of the Directive on Written Employment Information (Directive 91/533/EC). We wish to ensure that all workers receive a written confirmation of their employment on their first day of work at the latest. This document may then be sent to the social insurance responsible without difficulties before commencing work. Non compliant employers promote undeclared work and should therefore not receive any agricultural subsidies. This is what we demand - but there is still a long road ahead before we cross the finishing line.

Another priority area this year has been raising awareness of the importance and achievements of agricultural workers and their trade unions in Europe. We have also started our activities regarding occupational safety. In this context, we held a conference with the employers (GEOPA-COPA) and representatives of the national observatories in Bologna (Italy), presenting their work on how to reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). A conference on machinery and equipment will be held in Prague (Czech Republic) in December 2017.

The hereby annual report gives a more detailed account of the major activities of the sector.

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EFFAT is the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions. As a European Trade Union Federation representing 120 national trade unions from 35 European countries, EFFAT defends the interests of more than 22 million workers towards the European Institutions, European employers’ associations and transnational companies. EFFAT is a member of the ETUC and the European regional organisation of the IUF.